


|| Death's Avail - || Will disappears || PROLOGUE ||

by Rainshimmer



Category: Rangers Apprentice - John Flanagan
Genre: Abelard - Freeform, Death, Multi, Rangers Apprentice - Freeform, Tug - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-22
Updated: 2017-03-22
Packaged: 2018-10-09 07:34:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10407078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainshimmer/pseuds/Rainshimmer
Summary: Will disappears, Tug is depressed, the Kingdom is at lost.





	

Tug trudged on with Will on his back and a grim look on both of their faces as they rode through the burning light of the desert. Both weary and drugged by the mid-day sun, wise or not, the two had decided to continue moving. The risk they would face if they had remained in the same place, would be failing the test. 

Just day's before, Halt had sent Will and Tug on a mission to test their ability of survival, in preparation of the final tests. Of course, Halt had some doubts and Will had only guessed by the rare glint of worry in his grey eyes. Tug let out a noticeable whinny of giving up and stopped suddenly, despite Will's encouraging words and commands. Tug had never behaved like this, he was usually the strongest willed pony that Will had met. 

Will dismounted the pony and hurried to loosen his girth before giving the pony soothing rubs on it's face, whispering to Tug softly. "Just a little farther Tug... we'll walk, no riding." Will made an attempt to urge Tug forwards by pulling on his bridle, but instead mastered the art of going nowhere. "Tug!"

Tug snorted and flattened his ears against his head, he knew in his pony heart that it had shattered. He failed as Will's pony, and he knew Will's quest was more important than his own dreaded feeling. He let out a nicker and pushed his head against Will's chest, breathing out a content sigh. 

Will stumbled backwards in surprise and forced a smile to his chapped lips. "That's the Tug I know. Halt would never give up, and I don't believe Abelard would either. We'll keep moving till sunset, how does that sound?"

Tug hesitated slightly, but nickered in response meaning; sounds fine. 

Will rubbed the little pony behind the ears and looped the rains back over his head, he knew that the pony could walk on his own, so there was no need in pulling him along like a pack horse. The sun was blistering hot by now and Will was starting to turn slightly red from all of it, his feet becoming slightly numb from the scorching ground. His cloak and boot's didn't help either. Both were black and attracted the sun, but he knew very well that by taking it off, he would call attention to himself. Who knows what travelers or monsters lurked in the desert. 

Tug let out a warning nicker and launched into a dead run, pushing Will out of the way of an arrow shot, blazing right towards where Will's death bed would've been. Will stumbled, tumbling upright and instinctively grabbing an arrow from his pack and notching it onto the bow string, drawing it back. He aimed it towards where the arrow had come from and waited, a flash of yellow caught his eye and he turned his head. Just as it had appeared, it had disappeared, barely giving Will to realize what it was. Tug let out another pitiful whinny and Will turned in time to see the yellow again. This time, he could make the figure out. It seemed like a creature of magic, but instead seemed to be someone disguised in a yellow cloak. It came to him why he hadn't seen it in the first place, the cloak looked exactly like the sand. 

He shot the arrow towards the cloaked figure, piercing the tail of the cloak. Of course this hadn't done much harm to the figure, Will had only sent a warning, for something had told him harming this figure would've been a mistake. It was then that Will noticed Tug, his side was bleeding heavily and the arrow had pierced his chest, terribly close to where his little heart was. 

"Tug..." Will let out a choked cry, and sank to his knees, holding the pony's head to his chest. Will could feel the heat weakening him and his hands trembled. "You'll be alright... I'm so sorry Tug." Will forced his hands to touch the arrow, and with the last of his strength he pulled the arrow from his chest. Will collapsed out of exhaustion on Tug's trembling body. 

Tug let out a choked nicker and turned his head to see Will, he let out a confused whinny and lifted his head with the last of his strength to see the cloaked figure drawing closer. His vision blurred and he felt Will suddenly being lifted from where he had previously rested. He couldn't cry out in defense, instead he merely watched as best he could through his blurred gaze. He felt himself slipping into sleep at the prick of something in his side, it didn't feel like death but a sudden peacefulness washed over the little pony as his eyes fluttered shut.


End file.
